Google’s announcement of Google Apps Premier Edition and its acceptable price tag of $50 per person per year got me thinking which online services that are currently free would I keep using even if I had to start paying money for using them.
Just to put things into perspective, my income can be described as average, and I certainly can’t afford to throw money for things I don’t really need. I love free lunch as much as the next guy. However, out of many Web 2.0 services I’m using, some have become so important to me and my work that I would gladly pay a reasonable fee if I had to.
So, for me these are:
Netvibes (Daily Rotation is a close second in the online RSS reader field). Simply put, the first webpage I open every day, and I keep it open throughout the day. I read all of my RSS in there, and I use many additional modules.
Google Calendar. Well, it’s hard to imagine this app not being free, but still - I’ve tried all of the other online calendars and I’ve settled for this one, because it’s simple, fast, it looks good, it supports iCal, it can send me SMS notifications, and it’s integrated with other Google services.
Wordpress. Simply put, the best blogging platform around. If I had to pay a reasonable price for using it, I’d do it.
Google Maps. I’ve got so used to Google Maps that I’d could hardly go without them.
Yahoo! Pipes - not quite there yet, but it’s definitely one of the applications that might prove very valuable for me, and, as such, worth paying a small fee.
Runners up:
Joost - small fee for an ad-free version? I’d think about it.
Techmeme - quality tech news are my job. Techmeme delivers. If only there weren’t so many others news sources out there…
These were my favorites, but I’d love to hear about your favorites. Feel free to name them in the comments!
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Firefox
Google Search
Google Reader
Adium
Technorati
Feedburner (I still have a free account for one of my blogs)
Techcrunch
Reddit
Agree with some, but my list would be:
Firefox
WordPress (and some plugins I’d pay for)
FeedBurner
Technorati
and maybe 9rules.
firefox
thunderbird
wordpress
statcounter
that’s it…I guess
@all: Some good choices there. I don’t use Adium, but I use Miranda, and it’s really useful. Also, Feedburner is a great free service for which I wouldn’t mind spending a few bucks. Firefox? Well…I’d pay for it, but it’s hard to imagine it not being free with Microsoft pushing IE as a free product for years now.
Gmail
WordPress
Instant messenger software, duh
thats probably it
Lame! I wouldn’t use any of those services if they started charging money. Most of these are mediocre apps and the only reason for their popularity is that most people are broke or too cheap for commercial web products. If these sites started charging money rest assured that there will be competitors who will be glad to offer a free alternative.
I’d pay a small fee for YouTube/G video Premium that would let you watch all the television shows without paying for each individual one.
Netvibes and Wordpress, definitely
Firefox.
Technorati
Mailinator
Youtube
@Anthony: how about this then: if all the free services you invested time and effort in disappeared because of lack of funding, how would you feel? Would you keep hopping from one free alternative to the next?
This is not a rhetorical question. I know that many home users can do and will do this. However people who use these some of these services for their work (like me) would probably be ready to pay a fee to keep the service running.
GPL software cannot be made non-free without violating the GPL. However, assuming that someone irradicates the GPL and makes them non-free, then I will still have the source code and thus I will continue to use my “illegal” software for FREE. Until Microsoft agents break into my home in the middle of the night and kill me and molest my pet tarsier. Then I’d have to get pissed off and come back from the grave and … well you get the picture. So, the moral of the story is to use only GPL software and to prevent Microsoft from stealing the soul of every man, woman, and child on the face of this planet before its too late.
Great idea for a post!
* Wikipedia
* GMail
* Flickr (I am paying for Flickr, but it is available for free)
* Google search - absolutely
Should we include Firefox extensions in the list? I have tons of extensions that I love, but only a handful that I would actually shell out for.
My essential Firefox extensions:
* Clusty - right-click on words or phrases for tiny pop-up window with dictionary, thesaurus and/or Wikipedia data
* Downthemall - replaces Firefox’s built-in download with something super-maneagable and literally 10x as fast. I have, in fact, donated for this via PayPal
I’d pay a small fee for…
Digg
Gmail
Firefox
Oink
Meebo
mozy online backup (http://www.mozy.com). 2GB free continuous, remote, online backup.
If I was older than I currently am and owned my own house I would probably pay for some of the services that I use regularly, such as:
Flock
Blogger (if it gets better - if not, then WordPress)
Feedburner
Digg
Not sure what else.
–
Visit my blog: bull3t.blogspot.com
Azurus
VLC
del.icio.us and the firefox extensions that support it
great article, how about a joost invite?
* GMail
* Google Reader
* Facebook
* BBC (Well I suppose it already isn’t free)…
* Firefox FoxMarks
If you had to pay for Wikipedia does anyone think it would improve the credibility of the information?
GPL maybe free - but you still have to hosts thousands of people. That is not free
We are working on a little task system (http://www.pleasedo.net). And we are asking ourselves that question - what would be a fair price for a system like that.
Systems i would pay for:
- google
- gmail
- firefox
- youtube (maybe)
- wikipedia
- some online newspapers and blogs
AIM
IE 6
MS Word
MS Excel
MSN
Outlook Express
MSN Search
Love the last post.
I’d pay for most of google services but thats about it.
Well you all go ahead and pay, i am for the freebies myself
Maybe Google Earth.
Yeah, everything else that people have named are all great (gmail, wordpress, del.icio.us), but I’d settle for something free that’s almost as good.
avira antivir - antivirus program using small amount of system resources
super memo 98 - spaced repitition flash card study system
Allth.at
Firefox
Digg
gmail
Avant Browser!!
I don’t think you can really justify paying for Wordpress. It’s a fine, flexible blogging platform, but when you get into a heavy traffic situation it just craps out. I’ve been really impressed with MovableType recently, mostly because it generates all pages into flat HTML. No regular database calls, and completely flexible.
Google Maps is another tool I would like to say I would pay for, but the accuracy just isn’t there when you get out of the major cities. Google Maps has thrown me off course too many times. I love the interface, but for reliable directions I unfortunately have to go to Mapblast or Mapquest.
I would absolutely pay for Firefox and Adium, however.
By “Supports iCal,” do you mean google calendar will somehow sync with Apple’s iCal application? I’ve looked for this and can’t see any way to do this.
So awesome that no one said myspace…whew.
linux
apache
mysql
php
bind
exim
Wow, since this has been added to Digg your blog has shot up the rankings! I will keep that in mind, hehe.
Firefox
Digg
Diggnation
YouTube
Wikipedia
Flickr
Shoutcast
YiGG.de
Revision3
etc
i wouldnt pay for anything!! im a cheap ass and i like everything for freeeee!!!
Great topic!
GMail (for sure)
GrandCentral (invaluable IMO)
iTunes (not a service per se, but a great piece of freeware nonetheless)
AIM (were it not for GrandCentral, this would replace my phone)
I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting…
Opera!!!
Wikipedia
Google Search
Digg
Craigslist
Don’t do that. Please.
Please don’t.
Don’t increase the expectations of the seller.
Don’t encourage them to put a price on their product.
…WHY are you doing that?
Do you have infinite resources? Do you live in the land of plenty?
My complaint doesn’t mean I don’t want to listen to your ideas. In fact…
[please keep talking]
…I’d be so GLAD to make business with you… $^v^$
Joost isn’t worth paying for, not when they’re already free services like it already: http://www.getdemocracy.org
http://www.freetube.us.tc
http://www.tvuplayer.com
http://www.netants.com
And there’s a whole bunch of alternatives for those services you listed, like
www.feeddigest.com for Y!pipes or http://www.feedburner.com
or how about http://www.30boxes.com/ or http://www.gcalsync.com/ for google calendar.
Good job idiots, keep on posting on what services you would pay for so they can start charging you for using them. Why are people so stupid these days?
twitter
youtube
google search
dictionary.com
Sorry, I wouldn’t pay for any online services like that. They will always be an alternative.
after all the big names (obvious), I’d say gostats.
www.Digg.com
and
www.Blogger.com (though I’d probably just set up an alternative off my own website like I currently do at www.Collins.net.pr/blog (currently use an i-frme into blogger)
Cheers,
Dean
Protopage.
Am I the only person who uses this?
I use most of these services, and love all of them. If they started charging, I’d find other services to like as much. I’m not broke, but there are plenty of free options for all of these services that it isn’t worth it to me to pay. Free software and utilities are one of the greatest things about the web.
Good lists. I’d add Google Suggest.
Actually nothing. There isn’t a “free” service out there that doesn’t have a resonable alternative that is just as free. The services I do use I actually pay for (newsgroups).
Everything google has MS has a free alternative except for Office. If one were to charge for their service the other would not so everyone would then just move to the free alternative.
Google Search=Live
Google Maps=Live Maps
Gmail=Hotmail/Live Mail
I guess the “service” term is a little confused. Firefox deserves a payment, but it is not a service.
my list would include:
* Wikipedia
* Google Search
* GMail
* digg
1. Google Search
2. FireFox
3. GMail
4. Google Apps
5. ASP Report Wizard
6. Wikipedia
7. FF-AddOns: FoxMarks, FireFTP, GMail Manager
8. Answers.com
on the net, there’s always an alternative to things we pay and there’s always something that’s gonna pop up for free, one way or another.
if ever, i’d pay for gmail, google map, google calendar, wordpress, netvibes, skype
but, hey! this isn’t a survey which one should go for a fee, right?. peace!
Yeah, I would have to go with:
Firefox (I’d just die if I couldn’t use it)
Gmail/ any of the free range google apps.
Blogger… I don’t like wordpress that much, but blogger is like a second skin for me.
wikipedia
digg
Craigslist
@Alex: “So awesome that no one said myspace…whew.”
Please, Myspace is so gross and clunky, I *only* use it because it’s free!
EverNote
colorcharts.org
Way to give these sites the idea to start charging!
Wikipedia
Fark
Digg
@chron: You’ve clearly never read the GPL. It in no way prevents profits, and, in fact, it makes a point of saying that GPL software *can* be distributed for a fee. Furthermore, it only applies to *open-source software,* and at that only that software that chooses to work under it. Almost all of the services listed on this page aren’t even available as software, let alone is the source available. Therefore, they couldn’t use the GPL if they wanted to.
Windows (:
WordPress.. psh.
Expression Engine’s free version is GREAT.
This is for Mads and the comments that he made.
Mads said:
>”GPL maybe free - but you still have to hosts thousands of people. That is not free :-)”
You are correct Mads. Bandwidth is not FREE, however there are other ways to generate funding other than charging people for the use of GPL software and people who give back to the OS community instead of being parasites. The problem is that there are too many people out there who obviously do not understand what OSS is all about and are trying to exploit it in a capitalistic mindedness.
>”We are working on a little task system (http://www.pleasedo.net). And we are asking >ourselves that question - what would be a fair price for a system like that.”
A fair price for what? You can replace your whole idea with some other GPL projects which are FREE. Go and rape someone else; we’re not interested.
-chron
I would say mine would be
wordpress
del.icio.us
firefox
franticindustires…haha sorry couldnt resist
but a great blog though.
Jeff
We all know that Firefox are founded by AOL, but we use it because it’s a safe and good product. Say if any of your software demanded payment for it’s use there would soon enough be free software around to give you a alternative, free of any charge. History shows that any program that starts out free but the deside to demand money goes down the drain because it show no integrety.
But for the poll:
Linux Kernel
Firefox
OpenOffice
If there where a new Nazi-regime, and none I guess… There will always be free alternatives. GNU is much more than a lineup of software.
Forgot to say Wikipedia!
Someone mentioned Feed Digest above (thanks, whoever you are!) but I guess I should now report.. as of a week ago, we’re not free *g* Sorry!
A cat may look at the Queen
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